George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

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ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 

FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL  FLOWERS 


r 

■ 


GEORGE   THOMAS   DOWNING. 


George   Thomas    Downing 


Sketch  of  His  Life  and  Times 


BY 


S.  A.  M.  WASHINGTON 


NEWPORT,    B.    I. 

THE  MILNE  PEINTERY 
1910 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  GEORGE  THOMAS  DOWNING 


A  spirit  brave  has  passed  beyond  the  mists, 
He  was  a  champion  thro'  direful  years, 
Nor  feared  to  face  the  foeman's  dread  array, 
He  dared  the  lightning  in  the  lightning's  track, 
And  answered  thunder  with  his  thunder  back, 
'Twas  for  his  race,  not  for  himself,  he  spoke. 

EORGE  THOMAS  DOWNING  was  born  in 
New  York,  December  30,  1819.  His  parents, 
Thomas  Downing,  born  1791,  was  a  native  of 
Chincoteaque,  Accomac  County,  Va.,  and 
Rebecca  (West),  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Their 
family,  all  born  in  New  York,  consisted  of  five  children, 
viz:  George  Thomas,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Thomas 
and  Henry  (twins),  Jane  and  Peter  William  Downing. 
I  George  Thomas  was  not  only  successful  as  a  public  man, 
but  he  showed  marked  business  ability.  In  1842,  he 
established  himself  in  business  on  Fourth  Street  near  the 
corner  of  Broadway,  in  New  York.  In  1845,  ne  leased  the 
premises  at  690  Broadway,  under  the  firm  style  of  George 
T.  Downing,  Confectioner  and  Caterer.  Here  assembled 
many  of  the  notable  families  of  the  city,  viz  :  the  Astorsf 
Kernochans,  LeRoys,  Schermahorns,  Kennedys  and  many 
others  of  the  elite  of  New  York.  Through  repeated  over- 
tures he  was  induced  to  establish  a  summer  business  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  and  in  1846,  he  leased  the  estate  at  the 
corner  of  Catherine  and  Fir  Streets,  and  in  1848,  leased 
the  premises  on  State  Street  at  the  foot  of  what  is  now 
known  as  Downing  Street,  which  he  purchased  of  William 
Smith  in  1850.  During  the  year  of  1849,  ne  bought  of 
Charles  Sherman  the  Bellevue  Avenue  estate,  opposite  the 
old    Atlantic    House,    in    which    the  United  States  Naval 


q.  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

Academy  from  Annapolis  was  located  for  several  years. 
In  1850,  he  moved  to  Providence,  opening  his  catering 
establishment  on  Mathevvson  Street,  near  Westminster 
Street,  after  two  years,  removing  to  the  house  on  Benefit 
Street  near  College  Street.  During  the  summer  months 
he  catered  to  the  summer  colonists  in  Newport.  During 
the  fall  of  1854,  he  erected  the  Sea  Girt  Hotel,  with  four 
stores  on  each  side.  The  hotel  was  sumptuously  furnished 
for  a  resort  for  the  wealthy.  On  the  night  of  December 
15,  i860,  while  Mr.  Downing  and  his  family  were  in  Boston, 
an  incendiary's  torch  was  placed  to  the  structure,  causing 
a  loss  of  $40,000.00.  Mr.  Downing  felt  the  loss  keenly,  but 
undaunted,  he  immediately  had  the  present  building 
erected,  Downing  Block,  it  being  the  first  block  of  stores 
in  Newport  for  summer  business,  which  started  business 
people  from  other  cities,  coming  to  Newport. 

The  upper  part  of  which  he  rented  to  the  Government 
for  a  hospital  for  the  Naval  Academy.  In  1865,  Mr. 
Downing  established  himself  in  business  at  the  Capital, 
Washington,  D.  C,  conducting  the  House  Refectory  for 
twelve  years,  after  which  he  remained  in  Newport,  con- 
tinuing his  business  until  he  retired  in  1879.  His  death 
occured  July  21,  1903. 

If  a  long  life  of  usefulness  and  honor  can  make  a  man's 
name  great,  certainly  no  one  has  a  higher  claim  than  the 
one  whose  name  heads  this  sketch.  He  had  all  the 
characteristics  that  befall  mortals,  pride  of  birth,  intel- 
lectual vigor,  inexhaustable  energy,  and  always  ready  to 
defend  the  oppressed  and  down  trodden  of  all  nationalities. 
His  father's,  parents  humble  habitation  was  near  the 
historical  "Downing  Meeting  House."  They  and  their 
children  owned  their  own  land.  They  had  charge  of  the 
village  church.  The  elite,  male  and  female,  gathered  in 
their  home  on  Sundays,  before  and  after  services,  to  talk 
the  gossip  of  the  County  and  discuss  the  general  news  of 
the  week.  The  Wharton,  the  West,  the  Taylor  families, 
the  Curtis  family,  of  George    Washington   connection,    the 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing  J 

Wise  family  and  other  like  notables  were  its  visitants. 
This  country  residence  was  humble  and  unpretending,  but 
bore  the  impress  of  industry,  taste  and  happiness.  Flowers 
surrounded  the  house,  on  the  outside  as  well  as  within  of 
this  happy  home,  with  its  inviting  surroundings,  order 
exhibited  itself.  Sturdy  oaks,  which  the  woodman's  axe 
had  spared,  towered  up  and  stood  forth  around  the  house, 
evoking  emotions  of  reverence,  they  counted  back 
centuries. 

Though  there  was  no  carpet  on  the  floor, 
A  neat  rug  was  at  the  door, 
And  the  white  floor  told  of  pride, 
As  one  entered  the  door. 

The  card,  the  loom,  the  spinning-wheel  had  their  places; 
the  yard  was  well  filled  with  chickens  and  geese,  with  their 
heads  all  borne  aloft,  had  their  pond,  so  the  boys  and  girls 
were  enabled  to  sleep  on  downy  beds  of  ease.  Among 
the  traditions  of  the  family  is,  that  an  audacious  would  be 
robber,  forfeited  his  life  in  an  attempt  to  enslave  one  of 
its  members.  They  were  famed  for  their  strength,  agility, 
and  general  aptness,  and  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being 
ready  and  able  to  defend  their  rights.  Their  son  Thomas 
was  playmate  of  Thomas  A.  Wise,  afterwards  Governor  of 
Virginia,  not  being  satisfied,  he  left  his  home,  and  followed 
the  troops  marching  north  in  the  war  of  1812;  he  halted  at 
Philadelphia,  a  stranger,  he  remained  there  awhile,  and 
then  went  to  New  York,  where  he  located  and  established 
business  at  number-  5  Broad  Street.  The  locality  at  that 
day,  was  not  only  the  section  where  New  York  merchants 
had  their  counting  houses,  where  banks  and  brokers'  offices 
centered,  but  merchants  resided  in  their  stately  homes. 
His  business  increased  so,  that  he  leased  on  both  sides  of 
his  original  place,  numbers  3,  5,  7  Broad  Street,  where  he 
remained  forty-six  years.  Dickens  visited  his  house,  when 
in  America,  as  did  Lord  Morpeth  and  other  distinguished 
foreigners.     It    will    be    remembered,   how    great    was  the 


6  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

sensation  Col.  Harmon  Thorne  created  in  Paris,  at  the 
time  of  his  residence  there,  when  all  that  money  could 
produce,  was  obtained  to  have  his  receptions  stand  out  in 
regal  splendor,  these  were  supplied  with  fried  oysters  from 
number  3  Broad  Street.  Mr.  Downing  presented  to  Queen 
Victoria  some  choice  American  oysters,  which  she 
recognized  by  sending  him  a  gold  chronometer  watch, 
which  Com.  Joseph  Comstock  brought  to  America  and 
delivered  to  the  happy  recipient.  Mr.  Downing  died, 
April  10,  1866,  lamented  by  all  who  knew  him.  The  Board 
of  Commerce  of  the  City  of  New  York  adjourned  to  attend 
his  funeral.  His  wife,  who  died  several  years  previous, 
was  a  faithful  wife,  and  devoted  mother,  she  was  highly 
respected  and  known  for  her  benevolence,  determination 
of  character  and  queenly  grace,  such  were  the  parents  of 
George  T.  Downing.  Two  of  whose  brothers,  Thomas  and 
Henry  were  educated  in  the  schools  of  New  York,  the 
youngest  brother,  Peter  William  Downing,  was  educated  in 
Paris,  where  he  remained  seven  years,  his  sister  died  when 
a  young  girl. 

The  subject  of  my  sketch,  inherited  his  father's  com- 
manding figure  and  kingly  bearing,  his  aggressive  tempera- 
ment and  manly  character,  he  was  reared  under  Christian 
influences,  and  taught  to  stand  up  for  his  rights,  as  well  as 
of  the  weaker  ones,  and  repel  invasion,  by  force  if 
necessary.  The  first  school  he  attended  was  kept  by  a 
Mr.  Charles  Smith  on  Orange  Street,  from  there  he  went 
to  the  old  Mulberry  Street  School  whose  members  became 
eminent  leaders  in  the  battle  of  life,  with  several  of  which 
he  pursued  classical  studies,  and  enjoyed  the  advantages 
also  of  private  instruction,  he  finished  with  a  collegiate 
course  at  Hamilton  College. 

He  spoke  with  and  shook  the  hand  of  Lafayette  when  a 
boy.  When  fourteen  years  old,  he  organized  a  literary 
society  with  a  number  of  boys  of  his  own  age,  in  which 
they  discussed  "live  subjects,"  they  adopted  a  resolution, 
for  example,   to    refrain    from    celebrating    the    Fourth    of 


Biography  of  George  Thomas  Downing  y 

July,  because  in  practical  lines,  the  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence was  to  the  colored  American,  "a  perfect 
mockery."  Downing's  public  career  began  when  he  was 
but  a  youth  as  an  agent  of  the  Underground  Railroad,  he 
helped  to  spirit  away  "Little  Henry"  the  slave  who  was 
put  in  jail  in  New  York,  situated  in  the  Park,  near  where 
the  Old  City  Hall  now  stands.  He  was  arrested  but 
matters  were  compromised.  The  value  of  the  slave  being 
paid.  On  the  24th  of  November,  1841,  he  married  Serena 
Leanora  de'Grasse,  she  was  educated  in  Clintor  Seminary, 
Oneida  County,  New  York  State.  As  travelling  was  so 
tedious  in  those  days,  being  by  stage  coach,  she  spent  her 
vacations  with  Garret  Smith's  daughter,  in  Peterboro,  where 
George  T.  Downing  did  most  of  his  courting.  After  her 
graduation,  she  returned  home,  and  they  were  married. 

Her  father,  George  de'Grasse,  was  a  native  of  Calcutta, 
India,  his  Hindoo  name  was  Azor,  he  was  such  a  handsome 
boy,  that  Count  de'Grasse  on  going  to  Calcutta,  saw  and 
fell  in  love  with  him;  he  took  him  to  Paris,  adopted  and 
educated  him.  He  came  to  New  York,  where  he  bought 
large  tracts  of  land,  one  of  which  he  purchased  for  his 
summer  home,  extended  from  24th  to  25th  Streets  and 
from  8th  to  9th  Avenues,  another  of  which  was  from 
Aaron  Burr  in  1802,  for  which  the  family  have  the  deed 
on  parchment,  signed  by  Aaron  Burr,  they  were  life  long 
friends.  Aaron  Burr  presented  him  with  the  looking  glass 
out  of  his  daughter  Theodosia's  bridal  chamber.  He 
married  Maria  Van  Surley,  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret 
Van  Surley,  natives  of  Germany,  in  1808.  Margaret  Van 
Surley  was  a  huxster  in  the  then,  great  Bear  market  in 
New  York,  she  owned  her  own  Stall.  John  Van  Surley 
fought  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  ,  they  traced  their 
ancestery  back  many  generations,  the  first  record  in  their 
family  Bible  being  dated  1630.  George  and  Maria  de'Grasse 
had  a  large  family,  all  daughters,  except  two  sons,  the 
daughters  were  all  educated  in  Seminaries  at  home.  The 
eldest  son,  Isaiah  George  de'Grasse,  after  attending  school 
in  New  York,  went  to  Geneva  College,  where    he    received 


8  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

a  classical  education,  from  there  he  went  to  Newark, 
Deleware,  then  to  a  Theological  Seminary  to  study  for  the 
ministry.  He  was  ordained  in  1837.  He  preached  in  old 
Trinity  Church,  in  New  York,  on  Broadway,  at  the  head 
of  Wall  Street.  Bishop  Underdonk  offered  him  the 
Rectorship  of  it,  if  he  would  renounce  the  colored  Ameri- 
cans, he  refused  to  accept  the  sacred  calling  under  such 
unchristain  like  conditions.  In  1839,  ne  preached  in  Trinity 
Church,  in  Newport,  R.  I.  He  went  to  Jamaica  as  a 
missionary,  where  he  contracted  the  fever  and  died.  The 
younger  son,  John  Van  Surley  de'Grasse,  attended  both 
the  public  and  private  schools  in  New  York  till  1840,  he 
then  entered  Oneida  Institute,  after  which  he  went  to 
college  in  1843,  from  there  he  went  to  Paris  to  Aubuk 
College,  he  spent  considerable  time  in  the  Hospitals  of 
Paris.  He  travelled  through  France,  England,  Italy  and 
Switzerland.  He  returned  home  in  the  ship,  Samuel  Fox, 
as  surgeon,  he  settled  in  Boston  in  1854,  and  was  admitted, 
a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society.  Such 
was  the  family  George  T.  Downing  married  into.  He  was 
a  man  of  the  greatest  activity,  to  him  there  was  no  such 
word  as  "rest,"  he  could  not  be  quiet,  if  he  would,  with 
the  coolness  of  the  German,  the  clear  headedness  of  the 
English,  he  had  the  dash  of  the  French,  and  the  crowning 
ardor  of  the  African,  how  could  he  have  done  otherwise 
than  fill  up  his  life  with  thoughts  and  noble  deeds.  He 
was  active  in  the  organization  of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society. 
He  attended  conventions  of  colored  people  to  better  their 
condition.  He  was  one  of  the  famous  committee  of 
thirteen,  which  was  organized  at  the  time  of  the  Fugitive 
Slave  Law;  this  committee  did  much  in  arousing  public 
sentiment  against  the  enforcement  of  that  iniquitous 
measure.  Mr.  Downing  had  a  lengthy  conversation  with 
Fernando  Woods  one  day,  during  which  Mr.  Woods  said, 
"I  want  to  introduce  you  to  Millard  Fillmore."  Mr.  Downing 
thanked  him  kindly,  and  said  he  desired  to  be  excused,  as 
he  could    not  touch    the    hand  which  signed  the  Fugitive 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing  9 

Slave  Bill.  He  was  selected  by  the  committee  to  deliver  an 
address  of  welcome  to  that  illustrious  Hungarian  patriot, 
Louis  Kossuth,  on  his  famous  visit  to  this  country.  He 
was  active  in  the  efforts  to  abolish  the  property  qualifica- 
tion placed  upon  colored  people,  by  the  State  of  New 
York.  In  those  days  colored  men  had  to  own  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  worth  of  real  estate,  in  order  to 
vote.  In  early  life  he  took  an  active  part  in  organizing 
the  Grand  United  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  he  was  Grand 
Master  for  several  years  in  connection  with  the  sub-com- 
mittee of  management  for  the  Continent  of  America.  He 
was  also  active  in  Masonic  circles,  being  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason.  His  personal  reminiscences  and  recollections  of 
the  anti-slavery  struggles  and  public  men  would  fill  a 
volume.  In  praising  the  abilities  and  recounting  the  deeds 
of  others,  he  lost  sight  of  himself,  but  the  listener  could 
see  the  hero  of  many  a  conflict  of  mind  and  arm  in  the 
stalwart  form,  the  flashing  eye,  the  ardent  manner,  the 
eloquent  voice  and  courtly  demeanor  of  the  brilliant  con- 
versationalist, a  living  epistle  of  inspiration  unto  young 
men,  urging  them  to  earnestness,  manliness,  courage  and 
progress.  He  spent  his  life  in  writing  and  speaking  for 
his  people,  without  asking  or  receiving  any  pecuniary 
reward,  and  often  at  a  personal  sacrifice,  he  was  always 
ready  to  respond  whenever  and  wherever  the  trumpet 
called  to  arms.  He  was  in  New  Bedford,  when  a  despatch 
came  calling  upon  the  friends  of  freedom  to  repair  forth- 
with to  Boston,  he  took  the  first  train  for  the  Hub.  It 
was  at  the  time  of  the  agitation  over  the  fugitive  slave, 
Anthony  Burns.  While  standing  on  the  streets  of  Boston, 
a  body  of  men  from  Worcester  marched  by  with  a  banner 
inscribed,  "Freedom,"  a  number  of  police  assaulted  the 
procession  and  captured  the  flag.  Mr.  Downing's  whole 
nature  was  aroused,  he  rushed  into  the  crowd  and  used  his 
muscles,  strength  and  agility.  After  a  desperate  struggle, 
in  which  the  banner  was  torn  almost  to  shreds,  he  captured 
it  from  the  police,  and    amidst    expressions    of   admiration 


io  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

at  his  courage  and  strength,  and  applause  at  his  success, 
he  bore  the  emblem  to  the  office  of  Robert  Morris,  which 
was  nearby.  Mr.  Downing  with  J.  S.  Martin,  took  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  the  first  anniversary  meeting  of  John 
Brown's  death,  in  Tremont  Temple;  the  meeting  had  been 
publicly  announced,  but  leading  Beacon  Street  citizens 
and  the  city  authorities,  decided  that  it  should  not  be 
held,  this  however  did  not  stop  the  movement  or  prevent 
the  meeting.  It  was  held,  but  the  police  who  were  out  in 
full  power,  overpowered  the  people.  The  meeting  was 
therefore  adjourned  to  meet  again  in  the  evening,  in  the 
Joy  Street  Church.  Notice  was  given,  and  the  friends  of 
freedom  were  urged  to  be  out  in  full  force  in  the  evening. 
The  Mayor  of  Boston  sent  for  Messrs.  Downing  and 
Martin,  and  attempted  to  dissuade  them  from  holding  the 
meeting,  he  said  blood  would  flow  if  the  meeting  was  held. 
The  courageous  men  replied  that  they  had  a  right  to 
assemble,  and  that  they  were  determined  to  have  free 
speech  in  Boston.  The  Mayor  then  spoke  of  his  inability 
to  furnish  sufficient  force  to  protect  the  meeting,  he  was 
told  in  reply,  that  was  a  matter  for  him  to  decide,  that 
they  had  not  been  protected  in  their  meeting  in  Tremont 
Temple  by  the  authorities,  but  they  were  determined  to 
meet  that  night  in  the  church,  and  if  necessary,  protect 
themselves,  that  they  would  be  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency. Placards  were  widely  distributed  and  posted, 
calling  upon  the  enemy  to  be  out  in  force.  A  howling 
mob  of  thousands  gathered  in  the  neighborhood  and 
around  the  church  at  the  hour  of  meeting,  but  the  friends 
of  freedom,  nothing  daunted  and  fully  armed,  packed  the 
edifice.  The  meeting  was  held.  The  right  of  free  speech 
was  vindicated.  The  skulking,  faithless  authorities  were 
whipped  into  their  duty.  The  whole  police  force  and 
the  militia  were  called  out,  and  thus  the  shedding  of  blood, 
the  sacrifice  of  life  and  the  consequent  destruction  of 
property  were  prevented.  The  martyr  John  Brown  was 
honored.     His  son  was  there    with    two    revolvers    and   a 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing  n 

bowie-knife,  which  he  laid  on  the  Bible  when  he  stood  up 
to  speak.  Wendell  Phillips  made  a  characteristic  speech. 
At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  the  leaders  betook  themselves 
to  Mr.  Downing's  house  and  slept  on  their  arms,  or  rather 
watched  with  their  weapons  of  defense  in  their  hands,  pre- 
pared to  resist  to  the  death  any  attack  that  might  be  made 
upon  them.  Young  John  Brown  was  the  centre  of  this 
"Daniel's  Band,"  who  dared  to  stand  up  for  the  right.  Mr. 
Downing  was  instrumental  during  the  war  in  forming 
several  colored  regiments,  but  not  until  he  obtained  from 
John  A.  Andrews,  the  "War  Governor  of  Massachusetts*' 
written  assurances  that  he  would  exert  the  whole  power  of 
the  state  to  secure  for  every  soldier  equal  and  exact 
justice,  to  prevent  any  discrimination  on  account  of  color. 
While  Mr.  Downing  was  on  a  visit  to  Washington,  the 
Hon.  Nathan  P.  Dixon,  then  member  of  Congress  from 
Rhode  Island,  suggested  that  he  take  charge  of  the  House 
Refectory,  after  maturely  considering  the  subject,  he 
decided  to  take  charge  of  the  department  and  use  it  as  a 
channel  through  which  to  secure  the  interest  of  his  race. 
As  its  head  he  was  brought  in  contact  with  leading  states- 
men of  both  parties,  whose  respect  and  confidence  he  never 
failed  to  secure  and  keep. 

He  was  daily  consulted  upon  matters  of  legislation. 
During  the  Vice  Presidency  of  Hannibal  Hamlin,  one  of 
his  attendants  in  the  restaurant,  who  had  been  in  the 
employ  of  his  predecessor,  came  to  him  one  day  and  re- 
ported the  presence  of  colored  people,  with  an  air  and  look 
of,  what  shall  I  do?  Mr.  Downing  unhesitatingly  said, 
serve  them,  and  send  anyone  to  me  who  may  complain. 

He  became  intimate  with  Charles  Sumner,  a  warm  feel- 
ing of  mutual  regard  sprang  up  between  them,  they  often 
visited  each  other,  and  years  of  friendly  intercourse  was 
passed  with  each  other.  The  Senator  paid  the  following 
compliment  to  Mr.  Downing  on  the  senate  floor  in  one  of 
his  speeches  on  the  Civil  Rights  Bill.  In  continuation  of 
a    speech,   he    said;    "But     I    have  not  done  with  you  my 


12  Biography  of  George  Thomas  Downing 

friend.  I  am  going  to  hand  you  over  to  be  answered  by 
one  of  your  fellow  citizens,  who  has  no  privilege  on  this 
floor.  I  put  George  T.  Downing  face  to  face  with  my 
excellent  friend,  the  Senator  from  Maine.  The  Senator 
will  find  his  argument  in  one  of  the  papers  of  today.  I 
shall  read  enough  to  show  that  he  understands  the 
question,  even  constitutionally. 

'But  I  come  directly,'  he  says,  'to  misconception,  to 
thwarting  justice.  The  Senator  from  Maine  opposes 
Senator  Sumner's  amendment;  he  says  it  invokes  an  appli- 
cation of  some  principle  or  provision  of  the  Constitution 
somewhere  or  an  application  arising  from  the  general  fitness 
of  things,  possibly  to  enable  it  to  evade  the  domiciliary 
rights  of  the  citizens  of  a  state.'  These  were  the  precise 
words  of  the  Senator,  I  remember  them  well;  I  was  aston- 
ished at  them;  I  could  not  understand  by  what  delusion, 
hallucination  or  special  ignisfatuus  the  Senator  was  led  in- 
to the  idea  that  in  this  bill,  there  was  any  suggestion  of 
invading  the  domiciliary  rights  of  the  citizens  of  the 
states.  Why,  sir,  the  Senator  has  misread  the  bill.  I  will 
not  say  he  has  not  read  it.  He  certainly  has  misread  it, 
and  now  let  our  colored  citizen  answer  him. 

T  do  not  speak  unadvisedly,  when  I  say  that  no  such 
end  is  desired  by  a  single  colored  man,  no  such  design  can 
be  gleaned  from  any  word  ever  spoken  by  Charles  Sumner; 
his  amendment  can  not  by  any  reasonable  stretch  of  imag- 
ination be  open  to  the  implication.' 

Not  a  senator,  not  a  lawyer  says  this,  it  is  only  one  of 
our  colored  fellow  citizens,  whom  the  Senator  would  see 
shut  out  of  the  cars,  shut  out  of  the  hotels,  his  children  shut 
out  from  schools,  and  himself  shut  out  from  churches,  and 
seeing  these  things,  the  senator  would  do  nothing  because 
Congress  is  powerless!     Our  fellow  citizen  proceeds: 

'The  amendment  says  that  all  citizens,  white  and  black, 
are  entitled  to  the  equal  and  impartial  enjoyment  of  any 
accomodation,  advantage,  facility  or  privilege  furnished  by 
common  carriers,  by  inn  keepers,  by    licensed  theatres,  by 


Biography  of  George   TJwmas  Doivning  ij 

managers  of  common  schools,  supported  by  general  taxa- 
tion, or  authorized  by  law.  Does  any  of  the  same  invade 
the  domiciliary  rights  of  a  citizen  in  any  state?'  That  is 
not  my  language,    sir,  it  is  Mr.  Downings,  he  further  says: 

'Could  any  man,  white  or  black,  claim  a  right  of  en- 
trance into  the  domicile  of  the  poorest,  the  humblest,  the 
weakest  citizen  of  the  State  of  Maine  by  virtue  of  Mr. 
Sumner's  amendment,  when  it  shall  become  a  law?  Cer- 
tainly not.  A  man's  private  domicile  is  his  own  castle. 
No  one,  not  even  with  kingly  pretensions,  dare  force  him- 
self over  its  threshold.  But  the  public  inn,  the  public  or 
common  school,  the  public  place  of  amusement,  as  well  as 
common  carriers,  asking  the  special  protection  of  law, 
created  through  its  action,  on  the  plea  and  for  the  benefit 
of  the  public  good,  have  no  such  exclusive  rights,  as  the 
citizen  may  rightfully  claim  within  his  home;  and  it  seems 
to  me  to  be  invoking  the  aid  of  an  unholy  prejudice,  in 
attempting  to  force  the  idea  that  Mr.  Sumner  desires  or 
that  the  colored  people  in  petitioning  for  civil  rights  are 
designing  to  break  into  social  circles  against  the  wish  of 
those  who  compose  them.'  It  is  difficult  to  answer  that; 
but  the  writer  proceeds: 

'I  have  the  testimony  of  Senator  Morrill,  this  same 
Senator,  to  the  fact  that  equality  before  the  law,  without 
distinction  of  race  or  color,  is  a  constitutional  right,  for  we 
have  his  declaration  to  that  effect  recorded,  and  further 
setting  forth  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  circuit  court  of  the 
United  States  to  afford  a  speedy  and  convenient  means  for 
the  arrest  and  examination  of  persons  charged  with  a  dis- 
regard of  the  same.' 

I  have  not  verified  this  reference.  I  read  it  as  I  find  it. 
The  Senator  will  know  whether  he  has  heretofore  employed 
such  generous  language,  in  conformity  with  the  Consti- 
tution. Assuming  novv  that  he  has  used  this  language,  I 
think,  as  a  lawyer,  he  will  feel  that  George  T.  Downing  has 
the  better  of  him.  I  ask  my  friend  to  listen  further  and  he 
will  perhaps  confess. 


14.  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

'If  equality  before  the  law  be  a  constitutional  right,  as 
testified  to  by  Mr.  Morrill,  and  if  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
federal  courts  to  protect  the  same,  as  he  further  affirms,  is 
not  all  conceded  as  to  the  rights  of  Congress  to  act  in  the 
case  in  question,  when  it  is  shown  that  the  public  inn,  the 
public  school,  the  common  carrier  are  necessary  institutions 
under  the  control  of  law,  where  equality,  without  regard  to 
race  or  color  may  be  enforced?  Can  there  be  any  question 
as  to  the  same?  I  further  invoke  the  letter  of  the  Con- 
stitution in  behalf  of  Congressional  action  to  protect  me  in 
the  rights  of  an  American  Citizen.' 

Again  I  say,  this  is  not  the  argument  of  a  lawyer,  but  of 
one  of  those  colored  fellow-citizens  for  whom  my  friend  can 
find  no  protection. 

'For  instance,  that  article  which  says,  'The  judicial 
power  shall  extend  to  all  cases  in  law  and  equity,  arising 
under  the  Constitution.'  If  equality  before  the  law  be,  as 
Mr.  Morrill  has  declared,  a  constitutional  right,  the 
judicial  power  of  the  United  States  reaches  the  same. 
Another  section  says:  The  citizens  of  each  state  shall  be 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges  and  immunities  of  citizens  in 
the  several  states.'  The  writer  is  not  content  with  one 
clause  of  the  Constitution. 

"Another  section  says:  'No  state  shall  make  or  enforce 
any  law,  which  shall  abridge  the  privileges  or  immunities 
of  citizens  of  the  United  States.'  Another  section  says: 
'The  United  States  shall  guarantee  to  every  state  in  the 
union  a  republican  form  of  government.'  The  section  last 
cited,  contemplates  a  case  where  a  controlling  power  shall 
strive  to  have  it  otherwise,  and  the  subordinated  in- 
dividuals need  protection.  Congress  is  left  to  judge  of 
what  constitutes  a  republican  form  of  government,  and 
consequently  of  the  rights  incidental  thereto.'  Then 
again,  another  section  says:  'The  Constitution  and  the  laws 
of  the  United  States,  which  shall  be  made  in  pursuance 
thereof,  shall  be  the  supreme  law  of  the  land.'  Another 
section  says  that,  'Congress    has    power   to  make  all  laws 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing  ij 

which  shall  be  necessary  and  proper  for  carrying  into  ex- 
ecution the  powers  invested  by  the  Constitution  in  the 
government  of  the  United  States.  Will  it  be  said  that  the 
power  is  not  vested  in  the  government  of  the  United  States 
to  protect  the  rights  of  its  citizens,  and,  that  it  is  not 
necessary  and  proper  to  do  so?'  The  senator  admits  that 
there  is  a  constitutional  exhibition  against  prescribing  men 
because  of  their  race  or  color  in  enjoyment  of  rights  and 
privileges,  but  he  denies  the  existence  of  a  constitutional 
right  on  the  part  of  a  Congress  to  act  in  defence  of  the 
supreme  law,  when  a  state  may  disregard  the  Constitution 
in  this  respect !'  I  read  the  Constitution  otherwise,  I  con- 
clude that  when  the  supreme  law  says  of  right,  a  thing 
shall  not  be,  Congress,  which  has  that  supreme  law  as  its 
guide  and  authority,  has  the  power  to  enforce  the  same.' 

That  sir,  is  the  reply  of  a  colored  fellow-citizen,  to  the 
speech  of  my  excellent  friend.  I  ask  senators  to  sit  in 
jndgment  between  the  speech  and  the  reply.  I  ask  if  my 
excellent  friend  is  not  completely  answered  by  George  T. 
Downing?  If  the  latter  has  been  able  to  do  this,  it  is  be- 
cause of  the  innate  strength  of  his  own  cause  and  the 
weakness  of  that  espoused  by  the  senator.  Our  colored 
commentator  places  himself  on  the  texts  of  the  Consti- 
tution and  interprets  them  liberally,  justly,  for  the  equal 
rights  of  his  race.  The  senator  places  himself  on  those 
same  texts,  but  in  an  evil  moment  surrenders  to  that  malig- 
nant interpretation  which  prevailed  before  the  war  and 
helped  to  precipitate  the  rebellion." 

The  above  is  given  in  full  to  show  the  esteem  Mr. 
Sumner  had  for  Mr.  Downing,  and  also  as  a  tribute  to  the 
noble  senator. 

Mr.  Downing  had  the  Senate  gallery  at  Washington 
thrown  open  to  colored  persons.  He  and  his  family 
were  the  first  colored  persons  to  occupy  a  box  in  a  Wash- 
ington theatre,  thus  vindicating  civil  rights  to  the  fullest 
extent.  He  lead  in  stopping  the  disgraceful  treatment  of 
colored  persons  travelling  between  Washington  and  Balti- 


16  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

more,  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  He  called  Mr. 
Sumner's  attention  to  the  matter.  Mr.  Sumner  spoke  of 
it  in  the  Senate,  when  legislation  affecting  the  road  came 
up.  An  official  of  the  road  assured  Mr.  Downing  that  the 
grievance  would  be  remedied.  At  the  suggesture  of  Mr. 
Sumner,  Mr.  Downing  wrote  a  letter  to  that  effect,  and  ad- 
dressed it  to  the  senator,  who  read  it  before  the  Senate 
and  withdrew  his  objection. 

Mr.  Downing  was  at  the  Senator's  bedside  during  his  last 
illness,  with  his  hand  clasped  in  his,  the  great  senator  cried, 
''Don't  let  my  Civil  Rights  bill  fail,"  and  then  he  slept  the 
sleep  that  knoweth  no  waking. 

Mr.  Downing  took  a  prominent  part  in  efforts  to  re- 
construct the  South.  It  was  his  proposition  to  send  dele- 
gates from  the  several  states  to  Washington,  to  remain 
there  during  the  session  of  Congress.  The  proposition 
was  earnestly  endorsed  by  Horace  Greeley.  It  was  carried 
out.  Mr.  Downing  headed  it.  The  delegation  held  that 
well  known  interview  with  President  Johnson,  in  which  a 
running  debate  took  place,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of  his 
Excellency.  He  was  passing  through  the  southern  states, 
on  his  way  to  New  Orleans,  when  a  letter  was  handed  to 
him  from  the  Ku  Klux  Klan,  with  the  cross  bones,  skull 
and  coffin  on  it,  saying,  "you  are  so  surrounded  now, 
that  we  can  not  reach  you,  but  we  will  bide  our 
time."  It  was  through  Mr.  Downing  that  the  first 
appointment  of  a  colored  gentleman  in  the  Diplomatic 
Corps  of  the  United  States  was  made.  In  this  connection 
the  able  and  scholarly,  Mr.  Edward  Bassett  had  the  honor 
to  be  appointed,  Minister  Resident  and  Consul  General 
for  the  United  States  to  the  Republic  of  Hayti.  The  first 
reception  given  in  Washington  of  a  social  and  political 
character,  was  given  at  Mr.  Downing's  residence  on  Capitol 
Hill,  during  the  first  week  of  President  Grant's  first  in- 
augural, that  is  to  say,  it  was  the  first  time  members  and 
senators,  judges  and  representative  men  and  ladies  were 
thrown  socially  in  contact  with  leading  colored  representa- 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Doivning  iy 

tive  society.  This  was  indeed  a  fine  stroke  of  social 
political  diplomacy  the  good  result  of  it  can  be  summed  up 
in  a  few  words.  Many  of  those  there,  who  knew  of  the 
colored  people,  only  as  freedmen,  refugees  and  contra- 
bands, had  their  eyes  opened  to  the  realities  of  a  large, 
powerfully  intellectual  and  highly  cultivated  social  side  of 
the  colored  question,  which  was  to  them  very  strange,  a 
revelation,  still  gratifying,  nearly  every  newspaper  in  the 
country,  that  had  a  Washington  correspondent,  made 
elaborate  references  to  the  royal  entertainment,  and  per- 
sonal description  of  the  men  and  women  who  were  present. 
Mr.  Downing  was  as  much  sought  after  by  members,  as  if 
he  were  an  index.  Few  of  the  important  bills  or  resolu- 
tions introduced  in  Congress,  while  he  was  there,  but  what 
received  his  supervision.  Members  found  him  a  man  of 
superior  intelligence,  farseeing  and  reaching,  earnest  in  his 
devotion  to  his  race,  hence  they  sought  him,  believing  by 
so  doing  they  would  counsel  one  of  the  wise  and  sagacious 
representative  colored  men.  In  this  they  never  made  a 
mistake,  for  if  there  was  a  man  in  the  country  who  proved 
his  fealty  to  the  cause  of  human  rights,  equal  justice  and 
free  citizenship,  if  there  was  a  man  who  made  sacrifices  of 
business  and  everything  else,  save  principle,  to  advance 
justice,  that  man  was  George  T.  Downing.  In  a  word, 
where  there  were  rights  to  be  maintained,  equal  and  exact 
justice  to  secure,  wrong  to  redress,  great  problems  to  be 
solved,  he  took  a  leading,  often  the  leading  part,  for  over  a 
half  a  century.  Everywhere  his  plume  was  seen  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight  for  unconditional  civil  rights  and 
universal  suffrage,  with  Douglass,  Sumner,  Phillips,  Garnet, 
Garrison  and  Ward,  he  led  the  race  out  of  physical  bondage 
into  the  bright  light  of  freedom.  It  is  now  for  the  younger 
men  to  gather  inspiration  from  the  lives  and  labor  of  their 
heroic  seniors  and  carry  on  the  work. 

In  a  league  in  Boston,  addressed  by  the  late  Bishop 
Henry  C.  Potter,  advocating  colonization  to  Africa,  who 
said,    "no    self-respecting    colored    man    would     remain    in 


1 8  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

America."     Mr.  Downing  rose  and  said,  "I  am  self-respect- 
ing,    I  consider  no  man  my  peer,  this  is  our  home,  we  will 
stay  here  to  Christianize  you  ministers."       I   recollect  that 
down  from    1863  to  1882,  he  caused  nearly  all    the  leading 
Democrats  of  the  country  to  be  hitting  at    him,  first  there 
is  the  address  to  President  Andrew  Johnson  and  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  February  7,  1866.    This  address  was 
prepared  by  Messrs.  Downing,  Douglass,  Lewis  H.  Douglass 
and  John  P.  Jones,  Esq.,  it  was  a  sweeping  arraignment  of 
the  Democratic  policy  of  Andrew  Johnson,   it  was   one    of 
the  many    thorns    put    into    the    touchy  side  of  that  man. 
For  this  and  the  very  busy  side  that  Mr.  Downing  took    in 
Washington,  urging  certain  measures  and  policies  upon  the 
law  makers,  the  bold  demand  in  the  name  of  the    colored 
Americans,  for  full,  fair  and  equal  citizenship,  drew  on  him 
the  fire  of  the  Conservatives  and  Democrats  of  the  country, 
and    at    this   time    it    was    the  Herald,  "Bennett's  paper," 
which  was  then  supporting  Andrew  Johnson's  policy,    said 
that  Downing  had  better  stick  to  his  oysters  and  let  politics 
alone.     Mr.  Bennett  doubtless  thought  of  the  fact    that    it 
was    Downing's    oysters    which  probably    gave    him    the 
notoriety  and  enabled  him  to  fill  the    position  he  holds  to- 
day, because  it  was  to  Mr.  Downing's  father  at  3,    5  and    7 
Broad  Street,  where  the  Dexrel  building    now    stands,    we 
owe    the    present     Herald.     Had    he    not    come    to    the 
pecuniary    assistance    of    the    elder    Bennett,  the   Herald 
would  not  have  lived  a  year,  to  the  day  of    his    death    Mr. 
Bennett  was  grateful   for  this  service    and  often    acknowl- 
edged it  by  editorial  notices  of  Downing's  business,  which 
could  not  have  been  bought.     I  quote  from  the  New  York 
Town  Topics  of  June  27,  1895,  page  15.     Nor   was  George 
T.  Downing  backward  in  lending  the  son  money. 

In  a  campaign,  Mr.  Downing  refused  to  support  Mr. 
Blaine,  he  was  made  a  target  of  much  private  and  some 
public  criticisms,  but  he  believed  that  the  Republican 
party  had  proven  faithless  to  the  colored  people  and  that 
neither  the  party  nor  its  unfortunate  candidate  was  worthy 


BiograpJiy  of  George   Thomas  Downing  19 

of  the  suffrages  of  the  former  unflinching  and  unfailing 
colored  allies,  he  had  come  to  feel  that  the  Democratic 
party  of  today,  was  not  what  it  was  twenty-five  years  ago. 
After  a  Republican  supreme  court  declared  Civil  Rights 
legislation  null  and  void,  he  conferred  personally  and  in 
some  cases  by  letter,  with  leading  Democrats  in  New  Jersey, 
Connecticut  and  Ohio  and  found  them  ready  to  accord 
equal  and  exact  justice  to  all  men.  He  found  the  Demo- 
crats voting  for  and  passing  laws  for  the  enforcement  of 
Civil  Rights.  It  was  no  difficult  thing  for  him  to  oppose 
Blaine.  He  saw  the  necessity  and  wisdom  for  a  division 
of  the  colored  vote.  He  hoped  the  Democrats  who  did 
not  enjoy  their  confidence,  would  act  so  as  to  make  it 
possible  for  the  colored  men  to  support  their  public  policy, 
v/ithout  a  sacrifice  of  self-respect  or  a  compromise  of 
manhood. 

Mr.  Downing  was  by  nature  an  independent  and  bold 
thinker,  and  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions.  He  was 
on  terms  of  personal  intimacy  with  Sumner,  Phillips, 
Garrison,  Theodore  Parker,  Robert  Purvies  and  the  early 
abolitionists  and  made  a  fearless  leader,  sans  penr  et  sans 
reproche.  His  acquaintance  with  the  public  men  of  our 
country  was  very  wide,  he  knew  personally,  Henry  Clay, 
Daniel  Webster,  John  J.  Crittendon,  Silas  Wright,  Stephen 
A.  Douglass,  Henry  A.  '  Wise,  Horace  Greeley,  William 
Cullen  Bryant,  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  John  G.  Whittier 
and  many  others. 

His  efforts  in  his  adopted  state,  Rhode  Island,  were 
signally  effective.  It  was  mainly  through  his  efforts  that 
distinction  in  the  public  schools  was  abolished.  For 
twelve  years  he  beseiged  the  legislature,  till  victory  was 
won,  he  and  others  at  the  time  refused  to  support  the 
Republican  party's  nominees  and  put  up  their  own  candi- 
dates, making  the  school  question  an  issue.  He  travelled 
through  the  state,  appealing  to  the  friends  of  equality  be- 
fore the  law.  His  candidates  received  a  decent  vote.  The 
next  legislation  removed  the  proscriptive  features  from  the 


20  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing 

statute  book.  In  a  municipal  election  in  Newport,  Mr. 
Downing  and  others  supported  a  Democrat,  with  the 
understanding  that  colored  people  should  be  represented 
by  one  of  their  number  on  the  school  committee  of  the 
city.  The  Democratic  Aldermen  kept  their  pledge.  Mr. 
Downing  labored  to  have  the  law  repealed  against  the 
inter-marriage  of  the  races,  and  that  limiting  to  a  property 
qualification,  the  franchise  of  naturalized  citizens.  He 
took  a  decided  stand  against  discrimination  in  the  re- 
organization of  the  Rhode  Island  militia.  The  Governor 
commissioned  him  captain  of  a  colored  company  of  the 
state  militia,  he  immediately  returned  the  commission, 
with  a  letter  protesting  against  the  discrimination.  The 
Governor,  be  it  said  to  his  credit,  promptly  sent  a  new 
one,  with  no  qualifying  phrase.  In  another  way  his  name 
is  entitled  to  a  place  in  Newport's  history,  for  it  is  associ- 
ated with  the  Old  Stone  Mill.  When  Judah  Touro  died, 
it  was  found  in  his  will,  he  had  left  $10,000.00  for  the 
purchase  of  what  is  now  known  as  Touro  Park,  that  it 
might  be  devoted  to  public  purposes.  Governor  William 
C.  Gibbes,  who  then  owned  the  land  and  the  old  stone  mill 
thereon,  refused  to  sell  it  for  less  than  $16,500.00,  and  the 
city  refused  to  make  good  the  difference.  That  the  city 
might  not  lose  the  advantage  of  the  liberal  bequest,  sixteen 
gentlemen  made  up  the  balance,  of  whom  Mr.  Downing 
was  a  large  contributor,  he  was  the  last  of  the  sixteen  to 
pass  away.  Bellevue  Avenue  was  only  open  as  far  as 
Perry  Street,  across  at  that  point  there  was  an  old  farm 
fence  with  corn,  pumpkins,  and  other  farm  produce  grow- 
ing within,  the  owner  refused  to  sell  the  land.  Mr. 
Downing  was  one  of  a  posse  committer  appointed  to 
open  Bellevue  Avenue  to  Bailey's  Beach,  which  has  since 
been  the  beautiful  drive,  and  homes  of  the  ultra  fashion- 
able and  multi  millionaires.  He  was  named  for  the  col- 
lector of  the  port  of  Newport;  the  late  George  H.  Norman, 
Colonel  Thomas  W.  Higginson  and  Charles  Sumner  stand- 
ing as  his  sponsors.     This  he  declined,  for    he  felt  that    he 


Biography  of  George   Thomas  Downing  21 

would  be  obliged  to  sacrifice  some  of  his  labor  for  his 
people,  by  holding  such  an  official  position.  He  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Davis  to  meet  the  delegation  from 
the  British  Parliament  to  discuss  arbitration  rather  than 
war.  He  also  held  many  other  honorary  appointments, 
but  none  of  these  would  he  allow  to  come  between  him  and 
his  cause,  in  whose  interest  he  was  present  in  person  or  by 
letter  at  every  meeting  of  importance  in  the  east  for  over 
a  half  a  century.  When  the  New  England  Conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  in  session,  about  one 
month  before  he  passed  away,  at  the  suggestion  of  Bishop 
William  B.  Derrick,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  call  on 
Mr.  Downing,  and  express  greetings  and  assurances  of  good 
will,  in  behalf  of  the  conference  and  the  general  church. 
The  committee  called  and  presented  an  address,  to  which 
Mr.  Downing  replied  in  part,  as  follows: 

''Gentlemen,  ministers  of  an  important  calling,  I  do  not 
know  that  I  was  ever  called  upon  so  unprepared,  times  are 
quite  different  now.  I  was  a  fighter  as  well  as  an  urger,  I 
owe  it  all  to  that  man,  (pointing  to  his  father's  picture).  I 
have  left  to  you  a  harder  lot  than  was  allotted  to  me;  I 
have  stood  with  Philip  A.  Bell,  when  we  were  in  the  midst 
of  a  mob,  telling  them  to  stand  back.  It  is  not  so  now, 
but  there  seems  to  be  a  devilish  spirit,  determined  more 
than  ever  to  crush  us.  I  am  afraid  the  church  is  not  doing 
its  duty,  in  building  character  to  stand  for  the  right,  re- 
gardless of  all  things.  Then  we  made  a  sacrifice  for 
principle,  today  we  are  sacrificing  principle  for  material 
things  that  pass  away.  Principle  is  eternal."  These  were 
his  last  public  words. 

The  family  of  George  T.  Downing  consisted  of  Serena 
Ann  Miller,  born  in  New  York,  she  married  George  Wash- 
ington, a  native  of  Boston,  Mass.,  deceased,  their  issue, 
George  Wendell,  born  at  Newport,  deceased;  Serena  Leanora 
Pierson,  born  at  Newport,  deceased;  Mary  Cordelia,  born 
at  Newport,  deceased;  Eugene  de  Grasse,  born  at  Newport, 
now  resident  of  Brooklyn,  N.   Y.;  Armenia    Augusta,  born 


22  Biography  of  George   Thomas  Doivning 

at  Washington,  D.  C,  deceased;  Clarence  Telford,  born  at 
Newport,  deceased;  Georgenia  Medora  Drusilla,  born  at 
Newport.  She  is  studying  in  the  Lincoln  Hospital  in  New 
York,  where  she  has  made  very  proficient  progress. 

George  Isaiah  was  the  second  child  of  George  T. 
Downing,  born  at  New  York,  deceased;  Thomas  Downing, 
born  in  New  York,  now  a  resident  of  Boston,  Mass.,  where 
for  over  forty-four  years  he  has  been  a  clerk  in  the  Foreign 
Department  of  the  Post  Office.  Cordelia,  born  in  New 
York,  married  in  Washington,  D.  C,  to  Mark  Rena  de 
Mortie,  a  native  of  New  Orleans,  engaged  in  business  in 
Richmond,  Va.,  from  there  to  Boston,  Mass.,  issue  Louise, 
born  in  Richmond,  Va.,  deceased,  Irene  Dow,  born  in 
Newport,  married  Marcus  Fitzgerald  Wheatland,  M.  D.,  of 
Barbadoes,  W.  I.,  now  a  resident  of  Newport;  Rebecca 
Medora  fifth  child  of  George  T.  Downing,  born  in  Newport, 
deceased;  Mary,  born  in  Newport,  deceased;  Georgenia 
Frances,  born  in  Providence,  deceased;  Philip  Bell,  born  in 
Providence,  now  residing  in  Boston,  Mass.,  where  he  has 
been  for  many  years,  an  honored  employee  at  the  Custom 
House;  Peter  John,  born  in  Newport,  deceased,  was  an 
officer  in  the  Custom  House  in  New  York  for  twenty-three 
years.  1  will  close  the  history  of  this  noble  man,  by 
quoting  the  following  lines,  which  portray  so  ably  his  life, 
written  by  Miss  Josephine  Salone,  graduate  of  the  Rogers 
High  School,  now  the  wife  of  Professor  Yates  of  a  western 
seminary,  written  and  dedicated  to  Mr.  Downing  on  his 
eighty-second  birthday,  December  30,  1900. 


"Here's  health  to  one  whose  heart  is  true  as  steel, 
Whose  years  have  passed  in  Freedom's  holy  cause, 
In  caring  for  a  brother's  woe,  a  brother's  weal 
In  fighting  direful  wrong  and  baneful  laws. 

Here's  health  to  one  whose  lofty  mien  and  brow 
Bespeak  the  noble  mind,  the  spirit  proud, 
That  feareth  not  the  tyrant  bold,  I  trow 
That  cringeth  not  when  traitors  thunder  loud. 


Biography  of  George  Thomas  Downing  23 

Here's  health  and  more  of  hale  and  hearty  years, 
For  one  who  loved  the  fires  of  wit  and  joy, 
Who  oft  dispersed  these  gifts  amidst  his  peers, 
And  friends  who  sought  a  heart  without  alloy. 

Although  in  twain  the  fateful  sisters  three, 

Have  cut  the  mazy  web  of  many  friends 

Who  brightly  traced  life's  morn  and  noon  with  thee, 

A  beacon  light  still  shines  and  pleasures  lend. 

So  here's  a  health  to  thee!    Still  may  there  be 
Full  many  friends  to  cheer,  to  soothe,  to  love, 
Thus  shall  December,  bleak  and  wintry  see, 
A  merry  gleam  of  May,  a  springtide  from  above." 


CALL  NUMBER 

326*93 
D751W 


Vol. 


Date  (for  periodical) 


Copy  No. 


